# Scotch Tasting Notes



## Herbie (Feb 9, 2006)

I'm not sure how many, if anyone here, enjoys scotch but I thought that I might give a bit of a review on a scotch that I found a few months ago and have really taken a liking to. This is the Ardbeg 10 Year. It is a single malt from Islay and if you like this nectar, you quite possibly have a bit of Scot in you. Here is a short excerpt from Ardbeg's Website:

"Ardbeg Ten Years Old is a very special bottling for the Ardbeg distillery as it is the first non-chill filtered whisky in the Ardbeg range. Chill filtering isn't a bad thing; in fact it created real consistency of product when the whisky industry was a little more 'hap-hazard' than it is today. Ardbeg Ten Years Old is whisky with none of the goodness taken out and as good as straight from the cask."

This is an oily, heavy libation that has a strong nose of peat, tobacco, iodine and seaweed. Its' light straw-colored hue can be surprising at first glance, but trust that this is no weakling. It is aged in oak instead if sherry barrels and there is no caramel coloring added. This is a pure scotch.

The palate is fresh and oily and smoky, malted and slightly sweet. The real character of the taste can be brought out with a few drops of water which will highlight the leather and floral notes. There is a long finish on this particular scotch and it is infused with the salty sea-spray that Islay is famous for. It is also rather peaty in the end.

Well, that's all for now. Hope it was helpful to anyone interested in a fantastic, if moderately priced scotch. If there are others out that have had this or any other scotch, I'd love to hear your impressions. If you have a favorite, or least favorite scotch, I'd also love to hear about that. Thanks!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

My friend is a scotch collector and out of all the scotch from Talisker, Bowmore, Glen-whatever, etc... 10, 15, 18, 21.... I really like blended scotch better. It's all about Johnnie Green label for me, then maybe a toss up between Blue and Gold. I like Talisker for single malts.

All scotch comes alive with a couple of ice cubes to water it down to really taste it. Have you had Lagavulin or Laphroaig? Talk about peety tasting!


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

Love the whole Ardbeg line, its a great scotch.
And Moses, Green isn't a blend, its a vatted malt, and a dang good one at that!


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## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

I too love the peaty Islay malts. Laphroaig cask strength is one of my favorites. But sometimes I like the sherry barreled scotches like an older MacCallans.

The Doc


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## MikeP (Jan 12, 2006)

Dr. Stogie Fresh said:


> I too love the peaty Islay malts. Laphroaig cask strength is one of my favorites. But sometimes I like the sherry barreled scotches like an older MacCallans.
> 
> The Doc


By far, Laphroaig is my favorite single malt thus far - of course I've only had the 10 year old thus far. I've seen the cask strength out there - wondering how they differ?

Recently had a chance to try Oban and was surprised at the Islay characteristics it had for not being an Islay scotch. It had that smokey peat and sea salt taste you find mostly in Isaly scotch. 
:al


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## MattK (Jan 2, 2004)

Ardbeg 10 yr has become one of my favorites over the last few months.



Herbie said:


> I'm not sure how many, if anyone here, enjoys scotch but I thought that I might give a bit of a review on a scotch that I found a few months ago and have really taken a liking to. This is the Ardbeg 10 Year. It is a single malt from Islay and if you like this nectar, you quite possibly have a bit of Scot in you. Here is a short excerpt from Ardbeg's Website:
> 
> "Ardbeg Ten Years Old is a very special bottling for the Ardbeg distillery as it is the first non-chill filtered whisky in the Ardbeg range. Chill filtering isn't a bad thing; in fact it created real consistency of product when the whisky industry was a little more 'hap-hazard' than it is today. Ardbeg Ten Years Old is whisky with none of the goodness taken out and as good as straight from the cask."
> 
> ...


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

MikeP said:


> By far, Laphroaig is my favorite single malt thus far - of course I've only had the 10 year old thus far. I've seen the cask strength out there - wondering how they differ?
> 
> Recently had a chance to try Oban and was surprised at the Islay characteristics it had for not being an Islay scotch. It had that smokey peat and sea salt taste you find mostly in Isaly scotch.
> :al


Oban is my (and several others here) go to scotch...it gets the saltiness from being on the western coast of Scotland, not particularly far from Islay, it definately has more in common with its island brethren than the Speysides. As for peaty, you can make ANY scotch smokey and peaty, thats more a result of how you process than location


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